


Primo

by TirNanOg89



Series: Past Is Prologue [5]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 09:15:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3405272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TirNanOg89/pseuds/TirNanOg89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel's back and everyone's happy, or are they?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Primo

PRIMO

Part 1  
Jack:

Jack was driving in to the mountain when the song came on. They had not long got Daniel back from his 'sabbatical' as an ascended being, and he couldn’t keep his mind off the man, this was not helping.

~ You don’t remember me  
But I remember you   
I lie awake and try so hard   
Not to think of you  
But who can decide what they dream?  
And dream I do…

I believe in you   
I’ll give up everything just to find you  
I have to be with you to live to breathe  
You’re taking over me

Have you forgotten all I know?   
And all we had?

You saw me mourning my love for you  
And touched my hand   
I knew you loved me then

 

'I can’t believe I still have this CD. I borrowed it off Danny just after he moved in the first time, I just never got round to giving it back! Well, it’s certainly apt. How weird, when he was given it he thought it was too depressing. I think that’s why he never asked for it back. But it’s just too right. It makes you wonder about fate though, doesn’t it? I guess I should get it back to him; I’ll put it in his office when I get back.'

***************   
Daniel:

'Finally, I’m back in my office. Funny, it doesn’t feel like my office. I can see that it’s my office with all my things and my name on the door, my clothes in the closet, but I don’t feel ‘me’ in here. I find some CD’s in a draw and flick through them when I come across one that intrigues me ‘Evanescence, Fallen’ I walk over and put it on.' The first song begins. 

~ Now I will tell you what I’ve done for you,  
Fifty thousand tears I’ve cried,  
Screaming, deceiving and bleeding for you,  
And you still won’t hear me. ~

'How ironic! I need cheering up and this is what I get? But I can’t be bothered to change the CD now.'

~ I’m going under. ~

'Yeah, I know how that feels. Thank God that’s over. Ah, now this sounds better. Well hell! That really is ironic; this should be my song ‘cause I sure as hell feel like nothing right now.'

~ Wake me up   
Wake me up  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
Bid my blood to run before I come undone  
Save me from the nothing I’ve become ~

 

'Repeat button! I knew there was a good reason for the repeat button!'

 

*************** 

'Déjà vu. At least this time he’s sat in his office, not stood in a corridor. He’s got music too, *cheerful song* ‘NOT!’. It is pretty apt though; I wonder if he’ll let me bring him to life? It was easy enough the first time. He was so distracted with the loss of Sha’re that he didn’t notice his so-called best friend acting like a lovesick puppy. But he’s way too observant to miss it now. He knows me too well. He’s bound to notice. Can I take that chance? Do I dare risk loosing his trust? But then, if I distance myself now I will definitely loose all of him. I’m getting that choice less feeling again!'

“Danny?”

Daniel looked up and Jack couldn’t help but notice the tear tracks down his face.

“Hi Jack, did you want something?”

“Since when did I have to want something to come and talk to you? Just fancied a chat is all.”

“Ok, what did you want to chat about?”

“Well, I hadn’t got that far yet. I thought I’d leave that to you, what with being the linguist and all.”

Daniel grinned at that, it was so ‘Jack’. He was bored, or thought Daniel needed to talk. So he came down to bother him until he entertained him or gave in and talked.

“Ok Jack, I’ll talk. No I’m not fine, yes I still feel disassociated and no there is very little you can do.”

“Ah! Very little, that means there is something! Tell me.”

“Jaaaaack! Just leave me alone.”

“No way Danny boy, get it off your chest, let it out, cry on my shoulder, whatever, but let’s get it on now. I can’t stand seeing you like this anymore.”

Daniel looked up at him and grinned.

“Jack, I didn’t know you cared!”

He stopped grinning at the crestfallen look on Jacks face.

“Oh Jack, sorry, of course I know you care. I was just kidding! Really! I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok Danny, I know. It’s just I was thinking, but then you said, and now I don’t know, and I should just go now. See ya.”

Daniel jumped up and ran to block Jack’s path as he headed to the door, head hanging and looking for all the world like his puppy just died.

“Hang on, come back in. Talk to me. Please!”

Jack looked up at him and tried to grin.

“That’ll make a change; you’re usually trying to get rid of me.”

“Jack! That’s just not true. I may get a little annoyed when you come in here, bored and bugging me, but I never want to get rid of you.”

Jack’s grin finally came back when he heard that. Daniel grinned back at him and finally realised what Jack had been saying before his aborted attempt to leave.

“Anyway, what were you thinking and what don’t you know now?”

Daniel could have sworn he saw Jack blush, it didn’t last long and he lowered his head so fast that he couldn’t be certain, but he was sure he had seen it.

“Nothing really, not to worry. So, what did you want to talk about?”

“You actually. Come on, tell me what you were thinking about.”

Daniel could see Jack was going to do his best to squirm out of this. The stereo clicked onto the next song and he grinned, wondering which deity had it in for them. Another apt song. 

~Catch me as I fall  
Say you’re here and it’s all over now  
Speaking to the atmosphere  
No one’s here and I fall into myself  
This truth drives me into madness  
I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away~

Daniel listened for a few moments and thought ‘what the hell?’

“Jack, do you like me?”

Jack looked stunned and insulted.

“Of course I do! We’re friends, good friends. Aren’t we?”

Daniel grinned at him and almost felt guilty for making him wonder like that.

“Of course. And as a friend you wouldn’t lie to me would you?”

Jack shuffled his feet and looked almost desperately around the room, he knew Daniel was dragging him into a confession of some variety.

“No.”

“Jack? Are you homophobic?”

“Hell no!”

Daniel couldn’t hide the grin at that. And at the relief on Jacks face as he thought it was over, only to panic again as Daniel continued talking.

“Do you love me?”

“Well duh, you’re my best friend.”

The almost smug grin on Jacks face as he thought he’d gotten around that one would have been more than enough to make Daniel keep questioning him, even if he hadn’t had a vested interest in the answer. 

“Jack! Are you in love with me?”

Daniel would have laughed when Jack found a sudden and almost inexplicable interest in a patch of carpet but he knew that would be more than counter-productive. And Jacks answer took away any thoughts of laughing and made his heart soar.

“Kinda.”

“Kinda?”

“Yes! Ok? Head-over-heals totally off on ya ok? Happy now?”

“Not quite, but I soon will be.”

Daniel was never so glad for the permanent ‘malfunction’ with his offices cameras. He lifted Jacks chin and smiled at him before leaning in to learn just how talented his mouth was when sarcasm wasn’t involved. He wasn’t disappointed. Jack was wondering how the hell he had got from trying to find out what was wrong with Daniel to playing tonsil hockey with him. Not that he minded, not one little bit. They finally came up for air and Jack pulled Daniel into a tight hug. When he let go, reluctantly, he couldn’t help the huge sappy grin spreading across his face. Not that he tried very hard. Daniel grinned back at him and finally spoke.

“So, kinda.”

“Yup. Kinda. Kinda forever maybe?”

Daniel thought about teasing for a moment but couldn’t bear to disappoint him when he was looking at him like that. Jack had his head slightly tilted to one side, a small hopeful grin, and big wide puppy-dog eyes. Who could resist? Certainly not him.

“Yeah, kinda forever.”

Jack grabbed him back into a bear hug and he could have sworn he was going to swing him around the office when they heard the door opening. Sam and Teal'c walked in talking and stopped dead when they saw the two men. They had jumped apart and were trying to look innocent.

“Hey Daniel, have you seen?”

They looked at each other, looked at the two men then back to each other. Sam got a big smug grin on her face and put her hand out to Teal'c.

“Told you it would be this week. Ye of little faith.”

Teal'c pulled a $20 note out of his pocket and handed it to her with a grin. 

“They are normally both too stubborn to have accepted their fate so readily.”

By then Daniel was trying not to laugh and Jack was spluttering madly. It was obvious what the two had bet on.

“You! You bet on this? And if you’re so damn smart how come you didn’t tell me? Do you have any idea how nerve-wracking that was? I’d rather have faced a squad of Jaffa than done that. Oh, you know what I mean.”

The last was directed at Daniel when he was given a glare. And Daniel did know what he meant. Jack was a very privet person and hated talking about anything emotional. Which is why ‘kinda’ was more than enough conformation for him. Sam and Teal'c just looked at him and grinned more; this would be worth months of teasing, off base of course. It suddenly occurred to Jack why Sam and Teal'c had been coming to Daniel’s office in the first place. It was Friday and that meant team night. It also meant it was time to go home. It didn’t take them long to get back to Jack’s with pizza and beer, a ritual they had followed almost since the beginning when they were able. The pizza was eaten, the beer was drank jokes told and missions discussed and it was nearing midnight. 

As the yawns became harder to conceal and the beer ran out Sam and Teal'c decided to make their way home, or at least, Teal'c would take Sam home then get himself home as she was in no state to drive. When this was pointed out to her she quickly pointed out that she had driven in Colorado before and if not here then which State did they recommend, Texas? This of course drew groans all round and demands that Teal'c take her home as soon as possible. 

As Sam followed Teal'c out the door she grinned and handed a CD over to Daniel. He had wondered why she took so long getting there when they all left the mountain at the same time.

“Go listen, I think you’ll like it.”

She waved goodbye once more as she got in the car to let Teal'c drive her home. It didn’t take the men long to settle into the sofa. Jack sat with his back to the armrest with Daniel between his legs, laid back against his chest. They started the CD and listened quietly for a while.

~Through the darkness  
I can see your light  
And you will always shine  
And I can feel your heart in mine  
Your face I’ve memorised  
I idolise just you

I look up to everything you are  
In my eyes you do no wrong  
I’ve loved you for so long  
And after all is said and done  
You’re still you  
After all you’re still you~

Jack smiled down at Daniel and nodded, as if to agree with the singer.

“Sam was right and so is the song Love. Whatever happens, you’re still you Danny.”

Daniel smiled at him and leant forward to gently press a whisper and a kiss to his lips as they listened to the rest of the song.

“Forever”

~You walk past me  
I can feel your pain  
Time changes everything  
One truth always stays the same  
You’re still you  
After all you’re still you

 

Part 2

 

Daniel all but ran out to his car, slammed the door and switched on the engine, as soon as the battery started properly the stereo kicked in.

~Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I’ll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash, then crash and burn   
You’re not alone. ~

Daniel looked at the stereo dumbfounded, put his arms on the steering wheel and dropped his head onto them. The pent up tears finally falling as his memory took him back to the first time he had heard that song.

********

They had been given a week of down time, the General, and almost everyone else, was looking at him with barely concealed pity and decided he needed time to get over loosing his wife for a second, and final, time and everything else they had gone through. Jack had looked at him and nodded, nothing more, no pity or reservations, just empathy and understanding, as he walked out and went home to cry in peace.

He got home locked the doors, put the machine on and ran the bath. He stayed in it until it was too cold. Ignored the phone all four times it rang, then went to bed, curled up in a ball and cried himself to sleep. He woke up at 09:00 to the smell of coffee coming from his kitchen. After everything he had been through in the last few weeks he was understandably worried by this and got up to investigate. In his kitchen was the best thing he had seen in a long time and he found himself grinning despite his red puffy eyes and scratchy throat. The shear nerve of his best, and most unlikely, friend was stunning. He had obviously put his special ops training to good use by letting himself in and setting up breakfast. The coffee machine was full with a cup on the table ready to drink, a little post it note on the cup proclaiming, ‘drink me!’ Next to it was a plate of sausages and bacon spelling out ‘eat me!’ with beans and toast on the side. The only other thing on the table was a CD case, another post it saying ‘play me!’ Daniel couldn’t help chuckling at Jacks irreverent but caring humour and put the CD on while eating his meal.

~ When you feel all alone  
And the world has turned its back on you  
Give me a moment please to tame your wild, wild heart  
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you   
It’s hard to find relief and people can be so cold  
When darkness is upon your door and you feel  
Like you can’t take anymore

Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I’ll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash, then crash and burn   
You’re not alone~

When the song finished Daniel realized he had been crying from the second line. He remembered once again just why Jack was the best friend he ever had, or would, have.

The following morning when he went back to the mountain and saw Jack he smiled. It was a little sad but heartfelt and Jack just nodded and gripped his shoulder firmly as he gently smiled back.

******** 

Daniel came back to the present to feel hot tears coursing down his cheeks and wondered just how many monsters of his own Jack had, and he was still willing to take on Daniels. That was one of the many things about Jack that never failed to amaze him, and many others, he always knew the right thing to say and do. He didn’t always do it, but he knew it all the same. Which just made it harder when Daniel knew that the right thing was going after Jack but couldn’t as he had been thrown off the base. All personnel had been told not to allow him back for 48 hours or until Jack had been bought home. If he got back after 48 hours and Jack wasn’t back he was going to tell the entire base just what he thought of them. Which is what got him thrown off in the first place. He was just glad he said most of it in Egyptian not English or he would probably have been shot not just sent home. 

*48 hours later *

Daniel was fuming, he had finally got back on base and there was still no Jack to be seen. He went straight to Hammond’s office, walked in and said, 

“I assume the rescue team is gearing up, so I will go and get ready to join them, I’ll be ten minutes.” 

And walked out finding a little joy in the ‘stunned guppy’ look on the Generals face.

*Ten minutes later.*

Daniel stalked into the Gate room and looked around in mock surprise.

“What? Don’t tell me I’m the first one here? Jack will have a heart attack when I tell him.”

He looked up and saw the General looking at him with a mix of pity and fear that just pissed him off even more. Then he saw Sam and Teal’c in full battle gear walk into the room followed by at least three full SG teams. He looked right at them and said.

“Right, dial it up. Now!”

Everyone looked at him in shock, he had never spoken like that to anyone at the SGC, and they weren’t happy that he was starting now. They were also a little scared; there was a fire in his eyes that they would have expected from Jack in this kind of situation. Luckily the Gate span open before he had time to question them and he walked up the ramp.

“Move out.”

Daniel seemed to have taken over Jack’s place while he was in trouble. Nobody dared ignore what was obviously an order that he expected to be obeyed immediately.

******** 

It didn’t take them long to find Jack when they came through the Gate shooting. There was a seemingly innocuous piece of wood laid on the ground, about four feet square, surrounded by guards and held down with large boulders. Every one of the natives still standing ran off when faced with the team of SGC warriors obviously out for blood, especially when they saw the first few go down in front of the P90’s. Daniel went straight to the boulders and called for help to move them. They quickly got rid of them and started to move the wood, but Daniel told them quickly and in no uncertain terms to back off, SG1 would get their own C.O. back. Daniel looked at his friends and spoke in a dead voice.

“This isn’t going to be pretty. Just don’t show anything, and remember what he went through in Iraq.”

Sam’s face fell, it was all too easy to forget that Jack had been a POW for four months. They nodded to him and carefully lifted the wood. Sam was grateful for Daniel’s reminder when they got a good look at her C.O. She was even more grateful that Daniel had sent the other teams away. Jack was curled up into a foetal ball, black and blue, tied up and covered in his own blood. The hole stank for obvious reasons and it was plain to see that he had been there for most of the time since his capture. The worst thing, to Sam’s eyes, was that he was shaking and muttering to himself in Iraqi. Sam was stunned that she managed not to cry at the sight of him. She would never have been able to imagine this, even in her worst nightmares. She immediately lost what little sympathy she had had for the natives and wished they would come back so she could shoot a few more.

Daniel pulled his pack off and grabbed the things he needed off the top. The hole was shallow so Jack was only just below his level and could easily be reached. He started talking in a low, calm voice, letting Jack know he was there until Jack finally opened his eyes. Daniel nearly jumped back in surprise, his eyes, what he could see of them through the swollen lids, were dead. Cold hard mud instead of the warm, liquid chocolate he would have found only a week ago. Daniel’s heart nearly broke there and then. The man he loved more than life its self was as close to broken as he had ever seen a man before. The disbelief in Jack’s eyes, though it took a while to register, finally clicked when Jack managed to croak out one word.

“Dead.”

All the time Daniel had been fighting to get back to him, he had damn near given up because he thought Daniel was dead.

“Oh, no love, no. I’m here. We’re all here. I know, hallucinations always say that but we really are love. Just try to believe for me.”

While Sam and Teal'c watched on, Jack had eyes only for Daniel.

“Always.”

He managed to croak again and Daniel smiled for him, knowing Jack could go to hell and back, literally, when he set his mind to it.

Quickly and carefully Daniel cleaned Jack as best he could. With Teal'c’s help and Sam standing guard, he stripped the filthy rags off his lover and put on the clean uniform he had bought with him after covering the worst of his wounds. Sam called the rest of the troops back in and their first view of the C.O. of SG1 was a much more dignified one than Sam’s. Jack managed to stand, with Daniel and Teal'c on either side, just close enough to reach if he needed them. 

Daniel had gotten some water into him and he looked at the men who had again risked their lives for him and said.

“Thanks.”

The soldiers all grinned at him; if he could stand and talk then he would be fine. As always he had their complete trust. For once SG1 didn’t come through last. With a team in front to ready medical assistance, and the rest behind covering their backs SG1 slowly walked back through the Gate. 

General Hammond waited with trepidation as the Gate opened and SG4 came through yelling for a medic. Janet was already waiting with a gurney and all she needed was her patient. Luckily she knew Jack well, or her first view of him could have made her complacent. With his arms casually slung around the shoulders of his friends walking slowly down the ramp he barely looked any worse than the last time she had seen him. It was the lack of a smile and the grim looks on the faces of his team that told her all she needed to know. They were scared, and as they were walking calmly and there were no more injured, they were obviously scared for Jack.

“Ok, all of you to the infirmary right now, lets get this checked out.”

She looked pointedly at SG1 and knew it was really bad when she didn’t get even a murmur of resistance, not even when she asked Jack to lie on the gurney, which he always refused most vocally unless he was unconscious. 

They were soon in the infirmary and SG1 would not be leaving until they knew Jack was ok, Janet didn’t even try to persuade them otherwise, she could see they were more worried than anything and sorting Jack out was the most important thing.

Jack had been laid stiffly on his back looking at the ceiling as it passed him by. As soon as they got in the infirmary and the doors were closed on prying eyes he fell apart, visibly, curled up on his side and shook. Janet couldn’t believe he was that bad that he would allow his team to see his weakness let alone her.

Daniel went straight over to Jacks bed and shifted him around until he was sat with his back to the headboard with Jacks head in his lap. They simply sat there, Jack shivering and Daniel running his hands over Jacks back and through his hair. Janet was worried, and not only about Jack. Daniels eyes were frozen and he hadn’t spoken a word since their return. She didn’t even try to get him to move while she checked Jack over. She was as quick as possible and the resonance check was fine so she didn’t push her luck with the x-ray. Janet gave them the all clear and Teal’c pushed the bed, and both men, to the privet room just off the infirmary. It had been set up for cases where a patient needed supervision as well as privacy. Janet stayed to see them settled then ushered everyone else out to give them a little peace.

The following day Daniel still hadn’t left Jacks side or spoken to anyone. Sam was worried and went to Janet. 

“Janet, you have to do something about him!”

“Sam I’ve done all I can. He has no major injuries. It’s up to him and time now.”

“Not Jack, Daniel! He won’t speak, eat or leave the room. He wouldn’t even let me speak to Jack!”

“I know. Last night he almost threw one of the nurses out of the room, wouldn’t even let her take his blood pressure. None of them will go near the room. I went in this morning and the look he gave me, well, it was no surprise the others wouldn’t go in there. Jack is fine physically, but mentally is a different matter and I don’t think Daniel is going to improve till he does. Teal’c is in there now and I’m sure the General will go and see him soon.”

“Yeah, can’t wait for that one. If he’s like this with me for following orders how do you think he’ll be with the General who gave the order?” 

“Not a happy thought. We just have to hope Jack pulls through this quickly. He’ll fix things with Daniel.”

Both women tried to be optimistic and failed miserably. They knew Jack needed Daniel to get back to himself but Daniel needed Jack just as much. It was a 'catch 22' situation and neither knew how to fix it.

***************

Daniel looked up at Teal'c when he walked in with food heaped up on a tray.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Maybe not, but you will eat. If not you will become ill, and then who will watch over O'Neill?”

Daniel glared at him for a moment but couldn’t fault his logic so picked up a sandwich and ate it. Over the following few days it became apparent that while Jack was conscious he had no intention what so ever of showing it. He lay in his bed, curled protectively around himself, barely visible beneath the sheets. It was also apparent, if only to Teal'c, that Daniel was the only thing holding him in remotely one piece. Every time Daniel left the room, even to use the bathroom, Jack would begin to shake and curl up tighter. He would only relax again when Daniel came back to his side. Daniel still didn’t seem to realize that Jack was relying on him. Not only was he the first friendly face Jack had seen after his ordeal, he also loved him and thought he had lost him. 

*************** 

The General read Janet’s latest report on Jack and sighed. As one of only two people on base who knew Jacks full medical and service history, the other being Janet, he knew how hard this was going to be for the man. There was no longer anything physically wrong with Jack. It was now all down to his will to get back into the real world. It had taken a surprisingly short time for Jack to move on after Iraq, but he had had a wife and child to get back to at the time. Hammond wasn’t blind or stupid and knew about Jack and Daniels relationship, just not officially. He only hoped that the relationship was strong enough to pull him back again. The worst problem now was fear. Knowing Jack as he did, Hammond knew it was most likely the fear of what could have happened to his team if they had been caught rather than him, and not fear for himself. They had spoken recently about Jacks age. He worried he was too old to look after his team as well as he thought he should. It was time to go and see his 2nd IC. Unfortunately he hadn’t counted on Daniel. The General knocked quietly on the door and walked in. He nodded to Teal'c who sat silently playing solitaire, then at Daniel. Daniels glare did not go unnoticed but he thought he was just angry at the intrusion. 

“Sorry for the intrusion son. I thought I’d see how Jack was doing for myself.” 

Which was the worst thing he could have said. 

“How dare you?” 

Daniel practically hissed at him. The General stared at him in stunned amazement as he stood up and walked over to him. In a quiet but obviously angry voice, told him exactly what he thought of him, the USAF and America in general. He went into great detail describing exactly what he would like to do to all of them for allowing Jack to suffer as he had. Luckily the General didn’t understand a word of it as he said it all in Egyptian. Teal'c spoke enough languages that derived from Egyptian to understand most of what was said. The General was stunned enough by the ferocity of Daniel’s voice and eyes that he didn’t even try to object as Teal'c led him out of the room. They stood for a moment in the corridor as the General let it all sink in.

“What the hell was that?”

He asked Teal'c. Teal'c however was just as unimpressed as Daniel with the situation and had no pity for the General. He did realize however that Daniel getting himself thrown off base again would be a really bad and probably bloody idea.

“Daniel Jackson does not understand how anyone who cares for O’Neill could have left him for so long in the first place. He expressed the belief that the USAF has no honour or compassion for its people, and I agree. It was foolhardy at best to leave one such as O’Neill in such circumstances. He has paid a high price to his Country and his planet; you repay him with abandonment and more pain. Were he to ask it I would gladly leave this planet with O’Neill without a thought. Unfortunately, he would never ask it. Despite everything he is loyal to you and your government, however misplaced such loyalty may be.”

Hammond was stunned. Twice in less than an hour he had been told, however politely, that his government and his behaviour were lousy. And he couldn’t help but agree. Had it been up to him a rescue team would have been sent through immediately, but all rescue missions now required authorisation from the Pentagon. He had argued this with the President too many times to count. He was responsible for these people, the decision should be his. The president disagreed. Apparently it was hard enough to keep the Gate funded for ‘approved’ usage. All missions were now measured on a cost/benefit ratio, including rescues, and the Pentagon decided they would wait 48hrs to give ‘such a capable officer’ the opportunity to get himself back, thus costing them less. Hammond really hated pencil pushers, especially at times like this. They didn’t have to stand here and see the disappointment in a good mans eyes; they didn’t see the near hatred in the eyes of someone they considered family. Nor would they pray for the man who had been let down too many times by his own side. The tiny voice in the back of his head that always seemed to notice the inconsequential also pointed out that that was the longest speech he had ever heard from Teal'c.

“Teal'c, you know this wasn’t my decision. We all have orders, even me.”

Teal'c watched him for a long moment.

“Indeed. Let us hope that O’Neill recovers quickly and can assure Daniel Jackson of that. In the mean time I believe it would be best for Daniel Jackson and myself to take O'Neill home where they will both feel more secure. I will stay with them in case they have need of me but I believe they require only time and space to heal.” Hammond thought about that and nodded. “If you can get yourself and them ready, I’ll have a car waiting for you. I’ll expect you back when you get here. If Dr Jackson can write a list I’ll send someone for supplies, get them to the house for you."  
With that Teal'c nodded and Hammond left to get things arranged. Teal'c walked back into the room feeling quite proud of himself. He hadn’t been rude or loud, but he had made himself heard, and very clearly too. He looked at the two men he considered family and decided where to begin. He had long ago discovered the best way to deal with these men. 

“Daniel Jackson, we will return to O'Neill’s house. Prepare yourselves.”

Short and not so sweet worked a charm with a pissy Daniel. Daniel glared at him for a moment as the words sank in then nodded. There was no way in hell he was having Jack walk thorough the halls of the SGC looking anything less than perfect so he ran his fingers through his hair to get his attention and spoke gently to him.

“Jack, we’re gonna go home now. Lets get cleaned up first yeah? You’ll feel better after a shower love. Then we can get home ok?”

Jack looked up at him and for the first time since his rescue there was life in his eyes. Daniel smiled as he led his lover to the showers and got him ready. It wasn’t long before they were ready to go. It took just long enough for Teal'c to have finished writing the list of supplies that it was in no way necessary to trouble Daniel over, when he was capable of doing it himself, and have them waiting on the kitchen counter when they arrived at the house. Daniel got Jack settled on the sofa with the remote control while Teal'c made coffee. They both marvelled at the difference in Jack. Just being home seemed to have lifted the mans spirits and made him look a hundred times better than when they had been on base. He even smiled. It was a small and watery smile, but a smile all the same. He also thanked Teal'c, the first time he had spoken to anybody other than Daniel since they got back through the Gate.

Sam decided that now they were off base, and out of uniform, it would be a good time to be with her family and remind Daniel that she was still one of them. Teal'c let her in as he was unpacking the groceries that had been dropped off and she went straight to the living room. She walked into the room to see the other two curled up on the sofa with a huge blanket covering them both, watching ‘The Simpson’s’. She heard Jack snigger at the antics of the Bart and sighed in relief. If he could still laugh he would be fine, eventually. Daniel caught her eye and she saw the apology in his gaze. He had been terrified for Jack and was sorry for taking it out on her. She nodded and smiled her acceptance and forgiveness. They would be fine. They were a team, a family, and they would get through it together. They sat and watched the Simpson’s marathon in near silence. Sam had no idea how Jack could enjoy watching it for so long, but he did and that was all that mattered.

 

The following day Thor appeared in the front room. They all looked at him in surprise until Jack spoke.

“Thor. How can we help you?”

His team looked at him in shock and not a little awe. After everything he had been through his first words were still an offer of help. His voice was quiet and subdued but obviously sincere. Thor nodded his thanks and spoke quietly.

“ We do not require your assistance at this time, O'Neill. I attempted to contact you at the mountain and General Hammond provided me with the information I needed. He informed me of your recent problems when I inquired as to your where-abouts. After speaking with the High Council, and convincing them you are of more use to us in one piece, it was decided that you should have means of communication at all times. I have come to offer you a gift that may help you avoid such circumstances in the future or at the very least minimize the danger to you during missions. As any technology could conceivably end up in the wrong hands through no fault of your own, it was decided that the communication would have to be organic. Your minds, while not as advanced as ours, are capable of telepathy with very little modification. If you will allow it, I will proceed immediately. It will only take a moment to complete.”

To say they were rather shocked by this would be like saying the Grand Canyon was a little deep. 

Jack looked at each of his people and wondered for a moment if the really needed it, then remembered that they really needed line-of-sight for their own particular brand of telepathy so immediately agreed and asked Thor to go to it. It was, as all too often seemed to be the case where scrambling Jacks mind was concerned, quick and easy. Thor put his hands on either side of each of their heads, his hands glowed for a moment and it was over.

Thor disappeared as soon as he was finished and Jack thought without ‘thinking’.

{Damn I wish he wouldn’t do that!}

The others grinned at him and nodded in agreement. Then it slowly sunk in that he hadn’t spoken.

{Well, at least we have as long as we need to sort this out, Hammond told me he’d given Teal'c permission to stay here with you for as long as it took.}

Jack grinned at Sam as she thought it.

{This could be fun. Now I can annoy you all throughout the damn briefings and Hammond wont know! And why do they call them ‘briefings’ when they are anything but brief?}

They all groaned at the idea and again at the question. They knew damned well that Jack would take hideous advantage of this to try and relieve his boredom during briefings, whether brief or not. All the same they were glad that Jack was close enough to normal to joke with them again, even if only in their minds. They spent the following week getting used to having each other in their minds and learning how to keep random thoughts to themselves. On the forth day Jack decided they had worked quite hard enough, though the others thought of it as playing more than working, and imparted upon them the wisdom of age and experience. He quietly and seriously informed them that in his many years of serving his country he had come to realise that there was only one way to get over a shity week/month/year, put the past behind you and prepare for the return to work. Daniel finally caved and asked him how, even though he knew Jack was messing about. Jack looked at each of them with a perfectly straight face for a moment before grinning like the Cheshire cat.

“You gotta get shit-faced!”

“You can’t tell me that’s the best thing age and wisdom have given you?”

Daniel was pretending to be much less than impressed, until Jack pulled him into his lap and kissed him until they both needed to breath.

“It also lets me do that!”

The two men grinned at each other and Sam and Teal'c shared a look of fond amusement over their antics. When the two men showed no inclination toward stopping any time soon Sam decided a distraction was in order.

“Daniel, you do realize you still have to apologize to the General and Janet don’t you?”

Daniel buried his head in Jacks shoulder and groaned as the others laughed.

 

Part 3  
Four Months Later: Conference room, Cheyenne Mountain.

There was something in his eyes that said he was broken. Daniel had known him for years and this was the first time he had ever seen such a look on Jack’s face, and all he had said was.

“I don’t know how anyone thinks the guys can deliver mail like this! I mean, how ambiguous can you get? ‘Jonathan’! I mean, the guys are good, but this is ridiculous!”

Everyone in the conference room had looked up as Daniel walked in ranting almost to himself, they knew how he got when something annoyed him. But when he said ‘Jonathan’, Jack and General Hammond sat straight up in their seats and shuddered. Then the General looked furious and Jack looked so lost it was unbelievable. His team had spent the last eight years with him, in more situations than most people would give credence to, and they had never seen him like this before. His face went from disbelief through fear and terror and ended so blank they knew he had shut off from what he had been feeling. 

“Jack?”

Daniel looked at his lover and couldn’t believe or understand what he was seeing. They had been through years of situations that could only be described as hellish and never had he seen Jack like this! Jack just looked at him and he knew his hands were shaking under the table where he had hidden them.

{Jack? What’s wrong love? What is it?} 

It was times like these that Daniel was more than just grateful for the telepathic link the Asgard had given the team, and even more so that they could chose whom they were talking to, like a personal radio frequency. But Jack just looked at him and shook his head, stood and left the room barely slower than a gazelle. The rest of the team looked at General Hammond, hoping for some kind of explanation that didn’t come. He just shook his head and behind the anger in his eyes they could see the pain.

“We’ll sort this out another time. SG1 is on stand down until further notice. I know all of you have things to do. Doctor Jackson, maybe you can take him this. All of you would be a bit much right now.”

General Hammond handed the letter to Daniel and dismissed them from the room, looking like someone whose puppy had just been kicked, not sure if he should be more furious or sad. The rest of SG1 looked at each other, not sure what to do.

“I’ll go find him and call you later when I know what’s going on ok?”

Sam and Teal'c nodded at Daniel and quietly left for their own tasks, trying to think of something to keep themselves busy with while Daniel went to try to help their best friend and C.O. 

***************

Daniel went quietly into Jack’s office and looked at his desolate friend and lover and could only barely suppress his own cry of anguish as he went straight to him and curled his arms protectively around him.

{Come on Love, tell me what’s wrong, I can’t help you until I know what’s wrong! }

{Danny!}

Jack saw the letter in Daniel’s hand and shuddered again.

{I can’t Love, I can’t!}

“Jack, I can’t help if you don’t talk to me!”

Daniel was beside himself by then. Jack was completely closed off but obviously in pain and he didn’t know why.

“I’m sorry Danny. He hasn’t contacted me in years. I thought maybe he’d leave me alone. I know I shouldn’t get like this but I can’t help it. He’s the only one who ever scared me Danny.”

Daniel looked at him and couldn’t believe it; Jack was actually scared enough of this man to admit it!

“Who Jack?”

Jack looked down at his hands and very softly said.

“My father.”

*************** 

Part II  
Jacks office, Cheyenne Mountain.

{Babe?}

Jack was still amazed at how much emotion Daniel could put into a thought. He was amazing with words but he was even better with the telepathy. Thank God for Asgard intervention, and it made missions easier too.

{Don’t worry babe.} “We don’t get on too well. After Mom died he was worse. But I got into the academy as soon as I could so it wasn’t too bad.”

“Jack, your Mom died when you were three!”

“Yeah. I wonder what he wants?”

“I would say he might want to know how you are but from that, I doubt it. Why don’t you read it?”

Jack looked at him with the biggest puppy dog eyes he had ever seen on him and said.

“Will you do it for me?”

Daniel looked at him and nodded, wondering what the hell this man had put Jack through for him to be so worried about even reading the letter. He opened it and looked at the very short and abrupt note, more of a memo than a letter, and read it aloud. His voice betrayed the fury he was feeling at the man who could write such a note to his own son.

“‘Jonathan. You will return home on Saturday the 5th of June 12:30. Failure to comply will result in re-assignment and disbanding of your current team.’ Just who the HELL does he think he is? Speaking to YOU like THAT?”

Jack merely shrugged; it was obviously par for the course and that made Daniel even more furious than he had been.

“Right. I’m getting the others and we are all going to have a chat with this jerk. I imagine they will want to join me in explaining a few things to him about respect.”

Jack actually grinned at that, the first relief Daniel had seen from the blank mask since they had left the conference room.

“Right. I’m going to see the others then the General. You may not have noticed, but it is the 5th of June today and it’s 09:00 already. So I’ll see you in a bit.”

Daniel left before Jack could even think of answering him or trying to talk him out of it, so he just sighed and decided to go along with it. Danny had a way with people and if that failed, as it almost certainly would, then Teal'c and Sam could intimidate anyone. They wouldn’t have a problem with his father. Which made him wonder why he still did.

*************** 

General Hammond’s office.

Daniel had called Sam and Teal'c to meet him at the Generals office and silently explained everything he could to them. It wasn’t long before Sam was ready to ripe the guy a new one and even Teal'c looked pissed off. General Hammond had proven that he not only knew the man but also hated him with a vengeance. After Daniel finished explaining what they were going to do he said. 

“If you need anything, time off, a dozen back up teams, a Zat or two, just let me know. In fact, this is now officially a scouting mission to discover what kind of threat could be so bad as to warrant such a summons. You will, therefore, be fully armed at all times when you are off this base. Any force necessary is sanctioned. Any threat to Jack O'Neill is a threat to the security of this base and I expect you to treat it as such.”

At first Daniel thought the General was joking but as he continued he realised just how furious and deadly serious he was. It was obvious he really hated this man and Daniel was not looking forward to the up coming meeting. 

It didn’t take them long to get back to Jack, drag him to the armoury, backed by General Hammond’s official authorisation of any necessary force and direct order to go fully armed, and reach the helicopter the General had called up for them. As luck would have it, it was not quite 10:00, and the journey would take at least two and a half hours.

As they sat in the chopper Daniel was still worrying over Jack. Sam was fuming, Teal'c was looking even more forbidding than usual and Jack was expressionless but obviously, to his team, worried. Jack looked around at them and grinned.

{Well, no need to worry about him beating me with you lot there is there?}

As tension breakers go, it was awful, and failed miserably; they all looked stunned for a moment then totally pissed off at the thought of Jack’s father beating him at all let alone now! They lapsed back into mental silence for a while before Sam looked up and thought.

{So, what should we expect on this mission Sir? Are we likely to be in for a fight or just an annoying jerk?}

Jack grinned again as he looked at her, and once more thanked any ‘real’ Gods out there that he had got her as his 2nd.

{Probably just the jerk. But he is on the appropriations committee and got on great with Kinsey. Apparently he was well pissed when he left.}

{He was the only one then!}

Daniel sniggered; everyone had had a party when that idiot had finally left! This started Sam sniggering, which made Jack grin which made Daniel a very happy camper! 

Just before 12:30 Jack pointed down and told them all they had reached their destination. When they looked down they were shocked to say the least. The house was huge, a sprawling old colonial style hacienda with the grounds to match and there was a man waiting for them on the helipad.

“Jack.” 

The man smiled slightly at them and Jack grinned at him.

“Guys, this is Hawks, he’s been here for ever.”

Hawks smile grew a little until he heard a small bell in the house.

“Mr O’Neill is waiting for you in his study Jack. He didn’t mention guests so I’ll take them to the library if you wish.”

“No thanks Hawks, they stay with me. We’re on a mission.”

Hawks eyebrows went up at that but he didn’t say anything further as he led them through to the study.

“Colonel, good of you to turn up. The rest of you leave.”

This was, perhaps, not the best way to ingratiate himself with Jack’s team. It automatically sent them from ‘potential ass’ mode into ‘complete dick’ mode in the space of a nano second. All three of them stood at parade ground rest and looked ahead at the wall, completely ignoring the man. James O’Neill couldn’t have possibly been any more different to Jack. He was around 5’8”, filling out at the waist with jet-black hair and a rounded face.

“I told them to get out Colonel. Are they always this insubordinate?”

Jack actually grinned at that.

“No sir, not to me.”

“Then send them out. We have business to discuss.”

“No sir, they go where I go. General Hammond realised from the brevity of your letter that the situation must be extremely compromising to possibly endanger my team. So we are under strict orders to go nowhere alone or unarmed.”

At this the man began to fume. It was obviously not what he had wanted, or expected. He looked down his nose at them for a moment before giving up and continuing to speak as if they weren’t there.

“I’ve been in correspondence with old friends. I heard Jacob Carter had terminal cancer until he visited your base. Then it apparently goes into miraculous remission and he looks ten years younger. If it worked for him, you will make whatever it is work for me. Fix this and I may consider putting you back in the will.”

What Jack didn’t know was that the old man wasn’t actually allowed to change the will that his wife had insisted they write as soon as Jack was born, as it was her family money. As things stood, the staff each received a very generous sum depending on the length of their employ and the rest went straight to Jack.

SG1 stood in stunned silence, staring at the man. Many adjectives sprang to mind in their efforts to put their feelings toward the man into words, most weren’t printable and none were nice. They were generally running along the lines of insufferable, egotistical, arrogant, and conceited. And Jacks all-time favourite and most common thought when confronted by his father, Bastard! Jack finally reclaimed the ability to speak.

“You have gotta be kidding me!”

James glared at him for a moment.

“Have you ever known me to ‘kid’?”

“No. No you never have. A more humourless, loveless, lifeless man I have never had the misfortune to meet. If this is why you summoned me we’re leaving.”

Jack waited for a moment to see if his father would speak then turned to his team and nodded at the door.

“If you walk out that door you will never work in the military again. I will see to it that you are dismissed from your current position and never get anything more that latrine duty in McMurdo.”

Jack looked over his shoulder at the old man and finally saw him for what he really was, a scared, tired old man with nothing left but his money, and not even all his wealth could save him from whatever he had. 

“You can try, old man. You don’t scare me any more. I know my job and just how good I am at it. If the US Air force can be swayed by a bitter old man like you then I no longer want to work for them.”

James looked stunned for a moment, then as Jack turned his back Daniel saw a flash of fear cross the old mans face swiftly followed by a nasty smug look.

“You may be happy to loose your career at your age, but what about the rest of them? The Major seems to like her place and I may not know a lot about the Niger I do know your pretty boy wont last a week without you at that base when his file gets around.”

The team may as well have been using one mind as the old man spoke. They were slightly annoyed but amused that he thought anyone at the SGC would risk loosing Sam, her knowledge and experience were irreplaceable alone let alone both in the one package. Then they got pissed at such a derogatory and bigoted word being used at all, let alone in conjunction with Teal’c. What really got them mad was such a blatant physical threat to Daniel, or on Daniels part the insinuation that he couldn’t look after himself. They all turned to look at him and James could have sworn the temperature in the room suddenly fell several degrees. 

“I am going to pretend you never said that. Anyone threatening my team would constitute a threat to national security and is subject to the death penalty. I would hate to have to take you in over pompous but empty bragging. The paperwork is a bitch when detainees get shot trying to escape.”

They all watched as the old mans face went from pompous to smug, then pissed to slightly worried that it may not be an empty threat. They turned in contempt, not even bothering to watch him for threats, or seaming to, and walked out of the room. Hawks met them outside the room and by the small not quite hidden smirk on his face they knew he had heard and approved of everything that had been said. 

“I dare say you will be leaving immediately Jack?”

“Yup! Nothing to stay for Hawks. The General’s gonna be pissed at the waste of time and resources as it is, no need to make it worse by staying any longer than necessary.”

“Indeed, Just remember you will be missed by some of us here Jack.”

Jack finally grinned at that. He knew all too well that any and all good memories he had of his childhood were down to this man and the other staff at his fathers estate. Hawks shook hands with them when they reached the helipad and stood watching them leave as the pilot took off heading back to Colorado. Hawks watched them leave, murmuring to his self.

“Don’t worry Jack, he wont last long and he can’t change his will if he’s not compos mentis can he? Now where did I leave that Doctors number?”

Hawks smiled as he walked back to his rooms. He didn’t care for his own portion of the estate, he knew that Jack would never have left him with any money worries whether he inherited or not, but Jack deserved every cent that was coming to him for surviving the old man, and more for turning out to be as sane and personable as he had. One phone call would have the old man declared non compos mentis and then nature could take its course. From what the doctor had said it wouldn’t be many weeks if that, then they could all breath freely again.

Perfectus


End file.
